Wyden Co-Sponsors Bill to Keep Ski Fees Local

Washington D.C.—U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation that would let  National Forests retain a portion of annual fees paid by ski areas operating on U.S. Forest Service lands in Oregon and nationwide.

Ski areas operating on Forest Service lands pay fees to the Forest Service averaging more than  $40 million annually in exchange for their ability to have access to some of America’s most stunning public lands. 

The Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act (SHRED) Act would establish a framework for local National Forests to retain a portion of ski fees to offset the impacts of increased recreational use, giving them the flexibility to direct resources where they are needed the most.

“Oregon is rich in natural splendor and outdoor recreation opportunities,” Wyden said. “It’s important to nurture this wealth of public lands by ensuring recreational funds that are paid locally stay local. This will help us better address Oregon’s specific needs around wildfire mitigation, visitation impacts and housing shortages. Oregonians know what Oregon needs better than anyone and I’m gratified this bill will help ski resorts throughout the state create a richer, more sustainable recreation future for years to come.”     

The SHRED Act would do the following:

• Keep Ski Fees Local: By establishing a Ski Area Fee Retention Account to retain the fees that ski areas pay to the Forest Service. 

• Support Winter Recreation: In each forest, 75 percent of the retained funds are directly available to support the Forest Service Ski Area Program and permitting needs, process proposals for ski area improvement projects, provide information for visitors and prepare for wildfire. 

• Address Broad Recreation Needs: In each forest, 25 percent of the retained funds are available to support a broad set of year-round local recreation management and community needs, including special use permit administration, visitor services, trailhead improvements, facility maintenance, search and rescue activities, avalanche information and education, habitat restoration at recreation sites and affordable workforce housing. This set-aside would dramatically increase some Forest Service unit’s budgets to meet the growing visitation and demand for outdoor recreation.

The legislation was led by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and John Barrasso, R-Wyo. Along with Wyden, co-sponsors of this legislation include U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Jim Risch, R-Idaho, John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Steve Daines, R-Mont., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Tim Sheehy, R-Mont. This legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Blake Moore, R-Utah, and Joe Neguse, D-Colo..

Full text of the legislation is here.

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